


All I Ever Wanted

by AnaGP



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Tony Stark, M/M, Marriage, Protective Rhodey, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-11 23:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7911133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaGP/pseuds/AnaGP
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony was not damned, not entirely, not quite there yet. So maybe it was fair to assume that he would be. Damned, that is. </p><p>But then, Rhodey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Ever Wanted

Tony was not damned, not entirely, not quite there yet. So maybe it was fair to assume that he would be. Damned, that is. Because even if his time as the Merchant of Death hadn't tainted him enough...well, some other things would. But he had his truces, he had his moments of peace in which he would lock himself in his workshop with the music blasting and the windows tinted black and then he was finally, finally able to scream and break bones and crash and burn and not be himself anymore. At least for a few moments, at least for a couple of breaths he was free. And then he would go back out from his self imposed solitude, he would shower, get dressed, go out into the world that wanted to tear him to pieces and prove that he was still sane, still alive, still breathing. Because, truth be told, he had been a rich boy who ate his pudding with golden spoons but he always had to work for his toys. Always. Not a single day went by when he didn't know how utterly worthless he actually was. Tony might have been rich but he had been miserable in ways nobody cared to understand. He had been drowning on oil and the equations on his eyes had clouded his vision so much he couldn't take another step to save his life and why would he because it might have been better if he had never been born-

And then, Rhodey.

Because, in reality, Tony began living when Rhodey came into his life. Before Rhodey, Tony had been a skinny kid with too many cold numbers eclipsing his mind and tepid coffee running through his veins. With Rhodey his life had changed, turned upside down and even the laws of physics started to lose their dignified equilibrium. Rhodey was...home, a home Tony never even knew he needed or could ever dream to have. Rhodey was safe and love and warm coffee in the morning and lunch dates and sandwiches with too much mustard and peace and happiness and safe, safe, safe. Rhodey was the balance, the axis of his world, salvation and redemption and the fresh air that allowed Tony to take another breath, to make it through another night, and another one, and another one. Because Rhodey could do anything and when Tony was with him he was enough; he was just Tony and just Tony was enough. Rhodey balanced the whole universe and Tony wasn't fooling himself, it was thanks to him that the stars shone at night (whatever those astronomers say, it's wrong; they shine because Rhodey exists.)

So, maybe Tony had been overindulging himself lately while taking on the role of Iron Man, maybe he had stopped being enough now that Rhodey was back in that horrible dessert. Because the truth was that Tony had started to spend more and more time on the workshop, he spent less and less time with his fellow Avengers and barely saw Pepper anymore. And no, it totally had nothing to do with the fact that Tony had horrible nightmares of the portal and going through it and dying all alone out there without seeing Rhodey one last time. Or maybe it did. Tony was not as strong as he used to be and he could admit to himself that he was having a hard time coping with everything.

"Tony?" Rhodey's voice cut through his thoughts and Tony felt the sun shine once again, through the fog and the morning chill of NYC. "Did you sleep at all last night?" Rhodey was wearing a long sleeved shirt, worn down jeans and black boots, he looked casual and the sight of him warmed Tony down to his toes. Maybe he could try and be stronger for Rhodey? Rhodey was the constant in his life but what was he to Rhodey?

"Tony?" Rhodey sounded worried now and Tony felt guilt blossom in his chest. Why did he mess everything up? Rhodey was probably here only for a few hours and he was already ruining it. Stupid, worthless Tony. "Hey, is everything alright?" It was at that moment that Tony let out a pained noise and wiped his eyes angrily with the back of his hand, he had no right to cry, he was worthless and if he cried Rhodey would feel bad and then what? He would have ruined Rhodey's visit with his stupid feelings! Stupid, Tony! Stupid!

And then- And then Rhodey was hugging Tony and making everything in the world right again. Rhodey was reinstating the laws of motion; suddenly, the gravity and orbits of the planets were back to normal. The world could go on moving, everything inside Tony was slowly healing, his mind was mending itself back together and all his fears and insecurities were dissolving, disappearing into thin air until nothing but Tony remained, just Tony.

Half an hour later, Tony was able to compose himself enough to ask Rhodey, "When will you go back?"

Tony counted every breath Rhodey took and memorized the way his arms felt around his body. Rhodey took a deep breath and Tony found himself fearing Rhodey's answer. "I'm not going back, Tony."

That-that was unexpected. Tony looked up at Rhodey and attempted a smile. It was too good to be true, but maybe...maybe this time Tony would get what he wanted, needed, more than anything in the world. "Never?" Tony had to ask, had to be sure.

Rhodey smiled and pressed his lips to Tony's forehead. "Never, Tones. I...um...Pepper said there was this position at SI and I thought...maybe it would be a good idea to work somewhere where I can keep an eye on my crazy fiancé who battles aliens on a day to day basis."

"Fiancé?"

"If you'll have me..." Rhodey looked slighly embarassed and Tony...well, Tony was still processing what Rhodey had just said.

"Always?" Tony finally asked.

"Of course, even if you're 98 and still having horrible dreams about that portal, Tony. I want to stay with you and see you play with Dum-E, I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I want you when you haven't slept for days and I want you when you're grumpy and when you're happy and when you're feeling insecure. I want all of you, Tony. I just want you. So...what do you say?"

"I'll marry you." Tony smiled for the first time since Rhodey had been home. "You're all I want; all I've ever wanted since I was that skinny kid back at MIT."

Rhodey smiled and leant down to kiss Tony. Outside, the Sun was shining and New York City was waking up.


End file.
